Project Justification
Background and analysis of the problem to be addressed There are many elderly patients that need to have people look after them. Many family members may not want to put their senior citizen into a home due to lack of trust for the homes, however they aren’t able to be at home with them all day. Leaving an elderly person alone at home is not the best practice due to the fact that as persons get older performing day to day task tend to increase in its’ level of difficulty. Sometimes these seniors can get involved in some difficult situation that can cause them their life. The Homes for the Age that exist on the island (Tobago) now are presently run from a house or what use to be a house. These homes tend to function on spaces that are quite limited along with a limit in staff and qualified staff. The elders are basically there “waiting to die”. These homes tend not to have any records of elders improving in health or physical activities. When these homes are visited the elders seem to be very inactive and somewhat “dull”, the most it seems that they do is eat, sleep, watch TV and wait for visitors to come and look for them. Some of these elders even desire to be back in their own homes. These homes don’t offer services such as nurses dens, physiotherapy sections, leisure and communal parks and all that is now common worldwide for homes for the aged. There is a growing number of nationals achieving ages over 60 in Tobago but there has not been a matching growth in facilities tailored to suite their needs. Huge knowledge bases are stored within the elderly community but they are not harnessed and surely not treated with the requisite care and respect that should be shown. Also special care, appropriate facilities and time are required to give older folks the support they need. Tobago definitely needs structures to be put in place to bridge this gap. PRMG 6002 Ltd. have made it our duty to look and analyze the needs of the elderly and their families and as such we are proposing to start the first “Modern Home for the Age” on the island of Tobago. This will be in the form of a hotel, hospital and home in one. Residents will be able to participate in any of the different forms of activities that we will be providing and also they will be given regular medical checks. Our aim is to provide quality service and comfort for each elder resident and as such to also improve them holistically as much as possible. Elders’ Paradise should be the crave of each person as they grow older. It is promised to be a home away from home. We intend to have each resident as happy and as healthy as can be. Proposed goal, objectives, target population and implementation plan A home for the elderly that provides post-retirement citizens with a respectful, independent, fun-filled environment amongst like-minded contemporaries with the requisite infrastructure, caregivers and expertise is a dire need in Tobago. This project is therefore geared at providing semi-independent to independent living for approximately one hundred (100) senior citizens. It will have different units designed for the specific need of the residents, but will have a number of communal spaces to encourage interaction among residents. For the resident who needs minimal or no care; three (3) meals a day will be provided and a serviced room (cleaning and laundry) with shared bathroom facilities. For the resident in need of some physical care; three (3) meals will be provided a day and a serviced room with shared bathroom facilities. These residents will also have a care assistant to attend to their immediate needs. For residents with increased physical care they will have an assistant on a daily basis. Residents suffering with Alzheimer and in need of specialized care on a 24hr basis will be accommodated differently. Some of the independent elders can have his or her own single flat however they must be able to walk to the main building if anything is needed. It is envisioned that the residents will participate in whatever activity they are able to be a part of and for which we offer. Some of these activities will include computer classes, gardening, hiking, swimming, exercising (aerobics etc.), field trips, cruises and sports. We will have different professional sessions with Physiotherapists and Social workers. In addition we will have persons coming in at least once a month to “pamper” the residents such as spa treatment (pedicure/ manicure/ massages), hair combs and grooming, etc. We propose to partner with the YMCA to also have water therapy and water aerobics. There will also be indoor and outdoor areas for exercises. A church will also be on the compound to facilitate persons who may not be able to leave the compound. The yard should be covered with local fruit trees where possible so that the residents can be given food and fruits from their own garden and the excess can also be used to help generate funds for the home. We intend to have qualified doctors there along with nurses and caregivers. The doctors and nurses will perform regular checks on each resident and monitor their health. We anticipate that the residents’ health should increase in whatever way possible due to the quality care, exercise, eating lifestyle and also through the one on one interaction with the care givers. These caregivers will also assist the seniors with any business which they will have to conduct if they don’t have the assistance of their family. The home will be run as a private institution where the seniors will pay a portion of their monthly pension to accommodate/ facilitate the different activities and running of the home.